Chapter XI: Concerning the capture of castle of Gournay 

Count Guy of Rochefort, whose daughter's marriage with the Lord Louis had been blocked by the machinations of his rivals on grounds of consanguinity, then ended by divorce in the presence of the pope, felt deeply resentful, 'and fanned this small spark into moving fires.' (Lucan, Pharsalia V, 525). The Lord Louis' fondness for him was in no way diminished until suddenly the Garlandes interfered to destroy the friendship, dissolve the alliance and enflame the bitterness. Then an occasion for fighting arose: Hugh of Pomponne, a valiant knight, castellan of Gournay, a castle on the banks of the Marne, opportunistically seized the horses of some merchants on the royal highway and took them to Gournay. Beside himself with fury at this outrageous presumption, the Lord Louis collected an army, began an unexpected siege of the castle and very quickly surrounded it to deprive the inmates of a large stock of food. 

Around the castle there is an attractive island, rich in meadows, excellent for horses and flocks, wide enough but longer than it is wide, and very useful to the garrison, because it offers to those walking there a beautiful spectacle of clear and moving water, a sight made more charming by green grass and flowers; besides, the surrounding river provides security. So the Lord Louis prepared a fleet to attack the island. He ordered some of the knights and many of the foot-soldiers to take off their clothes so that they could enter the river faster and, if things went badly, get out faster. Then some swimming, other riding rather dangerously across the deep waters, he entered the water and commanded them to occupy the island. But the garrison resisted strongly, threw down stones from the higher bank of the river on to those in the boats and the river, and drove them back with lances and spears. But the attackers recovered their courage and determined to repel those who had repelled them, so they forced the slingers and the archers to stop, fighting hand to hand when it was possible, while the armoured and helmeted men in the fleet went into action with extreme bravery like pirates, threw back the resistance, and as courage will which refuses to submit to dishonour, they occupied the island by force, and drove its defenders within the castle. 

A tight siege was enforced for some time without bringing about a surrender. Impatient of delay, the Lord Louis, consumed one day by energy, summoned the army, and approached that castle which was brilliantly defended by an deep and steep ditch topped by a wall, and below by a rushing stream whose depth made it virtually impregnable. The Lord Louis crossed the stream, scaled the earthwork with its barrier, came up to the wall, gave the order for battle while fighting himself, an led an attack on the enemy as violent as it was bitter. On the other side, the defenders, preferring courage to life, pressed swiftly to their cause without sparing their lord; they took up arms, attacked their enemies, regained the upper part of the stronghold and even the lower by throwing their opponents into the stream. So they brought glory on themselves while Louis' army, despite its efforts, sustained a defeat. 

Then siege engines were prepared to destroy the castle; a very tall machine of three stories was erected towering over the soldiers, which dominated the castle and prevented the slingers and archers of the first line from moving about the fort or showing themselves. Under incessant pressure day and night from the machines and unable to man their defences, they sensibly made dugouts for themselves, and sniping with their archers, they put those dominating them from above in peril of death. Attached to the tall machine there was a wooden bridge which could be drawn out quite high and lowered gradually on to the wall to offer an easy entrance to the attackers. But the defenders, conversant with this manoeuvre, erected at intervals vertical wooden piles, so that when both the bridge and those who crossed it fell together into deep pits full of pointed stakes covered with straw to escape detection, the assailants should face danger and death. 

            Meanwhile Count Guy, adroit and valiant man as he was, roused his relations and friends, begged that aid of lords and rushed to the assistance of the besieged. He therefore negotiated with Thibauld, Count Palatine, a most distinguished young man skilled in all the arts of chivalry, that on a fixed day he should bring aid to the besieged, now lacking in food, and raise the siege by force of arms. Meanwhile Guy did what he could by rapine and fire to induce the besiegers to depart. 

On the day appointed for Count Thibauld to bring up his reinforcements and end the siege by force, the Lord Louis collected what men he could from close at hand and, mindful of the royal dignity, full of valour, he left his tents defended and set forth joyfully. He sent ahead a scout to tell him where the enemy was and whether it intended to engage in battle. Then he commanded his barons himself, he drew up the lines of knights and foot-soldiers and gave dispositions to the archers and spearmen. So that they should be seen, the trumpets sounded, the pugnacity of the knights and horses was roused, the engagement began. The French, drawing on long experience of war, fell on the men of Brie made soft by long peace, cut them to pieces with their lances and swords, determined on victory, and both knights and foot-soldiers went on attacking them ferociously until they turned tail and fled. As for the count, preferring to escape capture by being first rather than last in flight, he left his army behind him and rushed home. 

This translation © Jean Dunbabin, St. Anne's College, Oxford OX2 6HS, England, from whom all necessary permissions to reproduce must be sought.